64 people died of Covid yesterday, and 133 people entered hospital because of it. 36000 new cases were reported (much lower than earlier in the week (so a positive), but the number of first vaccinations is down to 43000. Mixed messages from the government regarding quarantine requirements. Either it is important, or it is not – there cannot be a rule for some, and dispensation for others. personally a requirement to test if pinged, but only isolate if positive is mind numbingly obvious and sensible.
However back to the stats. 133 dead in a day warrants extreme caution – not fuc*ing freedom day! 133 beds taken away from other patients is also a serious matter. Both these stats would result in the government being asked what it is doing about it. The answer would be … very little. Travellers from some foreign countries are being asked to isolate. 600000 people were told that they should isolate last week – mostly for no reason other than justify the £26 billion test and trace charge. Hmmm, I think that is it!
One person tries to vote twice at a general election and the law is changed to require photo ID. Journalists and others who leak information in the public interest will now face prison. Money is found to increase the number of nuclear weapons, to bail out HS2, to build a new yacht for the royals (£200+ million), but nurses cannot even have a cost of living equivalent pay rise, NatWest shares are being sold by the government at a 50% loss, Brexit is a multi-facet disaster, 25000 truck drivers have left the UK. Then PEP – 32 billion ordered, 11 billion distributed, 12.6 billion in store (@£6.7m a week), 2.1 billion unusable for medical purposes and the rest not delivered yet. I had not released the scale of this calamity! Cameroon is let of the hook for now – although his reputation is in tatters.
And it has started – MP’s have started to publicise the need to cut the debt – a slow drip feed will follow to allow the government to cut public services (including the NHS), and sell bits off whilst refusing to tax people like Branson. I would keep it simple – employ a team of accountants for a couple of weeks to calculate how much companies and individuals can pay – then send out the bills. There would be lots of whinging from the right wing press, but a one off tax should cut the deficit by a third to a half in one easy measure.
Then a tax on landlords, too many houses are being sold for rent. Introduce standards of accommodation, tax on rental income, and a 50% value added tax on re-sale. Serious landlords will cope, those in it for a quick buck will not. Properties left empty for more than 4 weeks a year will have to pay extra council tax. Council tax needs a complete overhaul, together with business rates.
Building regulations – STOP BUILDING HOUSES WITHOUT SOLAR PANELS,ETC.
On education can I suggest some compulsory subjects for public schools like Eton. We will start with empathy, charity, honesty, equality, fairness and then develop more.